Once March arrives, every college basketball team lucky enough to enter March Madness has the same goal: keep fighting to survive and advance to the next round.

The Round of 64 is where that goal is immediately tested. It’s where dreams begin and end just as quickly. While the 2026 NCAA Tournament delivered its usual intensity, the opening round told a story fans have become used to.

Across both the men’s and women’s brackets, higher seeds held their ground. But it only takes a few moments to define March Madness, and this year, those moments came in the form of one shocking upset on the women’s side.

On the men’s side, the Round of 64 reminded everyone exactly why March Madness owns the sports world this time of year. Teams survive, no matter how messy it gets.

For every team that cruises, there’s another team fighting just to stay alive.

This was the case for the Wisconsin men’s basketball team, which found itself on the wrong side of the tournament’s biggest early shock. The Badgers looked to be in control for most of the game; they were dictating the tempo and building what seemed like a comfortable second-half cushion. But March Madness doesn’t care about control — it cares about moments.

And the High Point men’s basketball team seized theirs.

The No. 12 seed stormed back late, knocking down big shots and capitalizing on Wisconsin’s mistakes before delivering the final blow: a go-ahead basket in the final seconds to secure an 83-82 win. Just like that, Wisconsin’s tournament run was over before it ever got a chance to begin.

In March Madness, experience, seeding and expectations can disappear in a matter of minutes. All it takes is one run, one lapse, one team that refuses to believe it’s supposed to lose.

While High Point delivered the bracket-busting moment fans wait for every year, another game showed just how close history can come to repeating itself.

No. 1 seed Duke didn’t lose, but came uncomfortably close to that fate.

Facing No. 16 seed Siena, Duke looked nothing like a top seed in the first half. Siena controlled the pace, knocked down shots and built a double-digit lead, putting Duke in a position no powerhouse ever wants to be in: vulnerable, tight and suddenly playing not to lose.

For a moment, it felt like it could happen again — another upset, another collapse to shake the tournament.

But Duke responded like a team built for March.

Behind a second-half surge and star power taking over when it mattered most, the Blue Devils flipped the game, erased the deficit and escaped with a 71-65 win. It wasn’t pretty or dominant, but it was enough.

In March Madness, enough is all you need.

That game may not go down as an upset, but it will be remembered as a warning. Even the best teams are not immune to the pressure, unpredictability and momentum swings that define the tournament.

Outside of those two games, however, the men’s bracket leaned more toward stability than chaos. Several top seeds advanced without major resistance, continuing a growing trend in college basketball where powerhouse programs maintain stronger control early in the tournament.

The transfer portal and NIL have allowed top teams to build deeper, more experienced rosters, making it increasingly difficult for mid-major programs to consistently pull off major upsets. While moments like High Point’s win still exist, they are becoming more selective — flashes of chaos rather than the norm.

Still, the tension remains.

Because even in a chalky year, every possession matters. Every run feels bigger, and every underdog still believes it can be the next story.

The men’s bracket had its share of drama with limited chaos, and the women’s tournament took that trend even further.

On the women’s side, the Round of 64 was defined almost entirely by dominance from top seeds. Programs like South Carolina and UConn handled their matchups with ease, showcasing the depth and consistency that have made them perennial contenders.

Many games were decided early, with higher-seeded teams asserting control and never looking back. Compared to the unpredictability often seen in the men’s tournament, the women’s bracket followed a much more straightforward script.

But even in a round taken over by the favorites, one result stood out.

No. 10 seed Virginia delivered the lone notable upset, defeating No. 7 Georgia 82-73 in overtime.

Virginia showed resilience, battling back late in regulation before taking control in overtime to secure the win. In a tournament where upsets were scarce, Virginia’s performance served as a reminder that opportunities still exist, even if they are harder to come by.

The contrast between the men’s and women’s tournaments was clear.

In the men’s bracket, even with fewer upsets than usual, there were still flashes of unpredictability — moments where the game hung in the balance and anything felt possible.

In the women’s bracket, control was the story. The best teams looked like the best teams, and there were few signs of vulnerability.

But that doesn’t mean the excitement was missing.

March Madness is about more than just upsets. It’s about pressure, momentum and knowing that one stretch of play can define an entire season.

For teams like Duke, the early scare could serve as a wake-up call moving forward. For programs like High Point and Virginia, the opening round provided validation — proof that they belong on college basketball’s biggest stage.

As the tournament continues, the stakes continue to rise.

Because if the Round of 64 showed anything, it’s that the madness doesn’t need constant chaos to be compelling.

Sometimes, all it takes is one moment, one shot, one comeback, one upset for everything to change in an instant.